I CAN’s annual, educational fundraiser for 0-5 year olds is now in its 15th year! The theme for 2016 is ‘Ben & Holly’s Elf and Fairy Party.’ Children will have fantastic fun learning songs around the theme before singing them together in an inclusive sing-along. As well as developing their own communication skills they'll be raising funds to help children across the UK who are struggling to speak and understand.

You can take part as a nursery, pre-school, playgroup, primary school, as a childminder, parent, guardian, carer, or in any other Early Years setting. Chatterbox Challenge Week is February 8th -14th 2016 but you can hold your event at any time.

Plus you could win up to £2,000 to spend on educational supplies from TTS and a visit from Ben & Holly!*

What does it involve?

The theme for 2016, Ben & Holly’s Elf and Fairy Party is about getting young children to take part in fun party games while chattering about what they are doing, seeing and hearing. Children will have fantastic fun learning songs and developing their own communication skills. They'll be raising funds to help children across the UK who are struggling to speak and understand.

Click on the film below to learn more:

If you are a parent or carer and would like to get involved in theChatterbox Challenge, find more information and activities here

The Challenge provides a fun and varied way to meet the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, with additional classroom activities provided for each rhyme. So why not...

Chatterbox Challenge 2015 Prize Draw Winners

Katey Moxley, Streetsbrook Childcare Manager, said "We were delighted to win the prize draw for the I CAN Chatterbox Challenge 2015. It was the first time we have taken part in the Challenge. We felt it was extremely important to raise awareness of children's communication difficulties by taking part and ensuring our parents understand the importance of singing, telling stories and everyday interactions as fundamental in children's holistic development."

Eleanor Wilson, Nursery Teacher at Cherry Grove Nursery School, said "The children really enjoyed practising and performing our Chatterbox Challenge songs and have continued to sing them even after the event. Our parents also enjoyed watching the children's performance and singing the songs with them at home. We were delighted with the amount of money that we raised and couldn't believe it when we also found out that we had won £500 worth of TTS vouchers."

The Chatterbox Challenge is a fun event with a serious aim - to raise the vital funds needed by I CAN, the children's communication charity. We strive to ensure that no child is left out or left behind because of a difficulty speaking or understanding.

What is it like to have a communication difficulty? Watch I CAN's film.

Your Donations

1 in 10 children in the UK, that's three in every classroom, are struggling with their speech and language. These children are at risk of becoming withdrawn and isolated. Your donations allow us to help parents, carers and people working with children understand the importance of children's communication, how to spot when a child is having difficulties communicating and provide information and training on communication development.

With more than one million children struggling with their communication in the UK today, the need for I CAN’s work is greater than ever. That’s why it is so important for us to have people like you committed to supporting us and raising the vital funds required to keep I CAN’s work going.

Stanley's Story

Stanley went from babbling when he was 12 months old to not babbling at all and stopped pointing and waving. His concerned mother, Karen was referred to her local speech and language therapist where she discovered the I CAN Help Enquiry Service. I CAN suggested simple activities to help develop Stanley’s communication. Karen said: “Stanley’s communication skills have developed – he blows my mind every day! In two months, he went from saying nothing to saying lots. I kept a list of words he said and when it got to 50 words I stopped. He has tried to put words together a couple of times like “mummy bye bye” and his pronunciation is improving all the time. It was really useful to have the I CAN activity cards - they focus the mind a little more. Thank you!” By contacting the I CAN Help Enquiry Service early on, children like Stanley get the best chance to develop communication skills and thrive at school from day one.

To contact our Help Enquiry Service email help@ican.org.uk
or phone 020 7843 2544.

Send in your donations by 31st March 2016 and your setting (nursery, pre-school, playgroup, primary school, childminder etc) will be entered into one or both of our prize draws below, and be in with the chance of winning some fantastic prizes!

Silver Shooting Star Prize Draw

Everyone that sends in a donation will be entered into the Silver Shooting Prize Draw to win:

£500 to spend on educational supplies at TTS plus a visit from Ben & Holly

One of two £500 vouchers to spend on educational supplies at TTS.

One of 50 Ben & Holly Little Kingdom Goody Bags

Magical Gold Prize Draw

If you go that extra mile and raise £150 you’ll also be entered into our Magical Gold Prize Draw

£2,000 to spend on educational supplies at TTS plus a visit from Ben & Holly

No negotiation regarding giveaway options will be entered into. Maximum of one prize per entrant; winner names will be removed from remaining draws. I CAN reserves the right to substitute prizes for one of an equal value. No cash alternative will be offered. TTS prizes must be redeemed within one year of the prize draw date. All entries must be received by 31 March 2016. The prize draws will be held 5 May 2016. The prize draws are open to all UK residents excluding employees of I CAN, Entertainment One, Openreach, and TTS. All aplicants must be 16 years old or over. Entries are restricted to one per nursery, school, group or household. By entering either of the prize draws, all entrants will be deemed to have accepted and agreed to be bound by the rules of the draws. No responsibility is accepted for entries that are delayed or lost. It is a condition of entry that prize winners agree to participate in publicity.

Lets get planning!

Here you’ll find everything you need to get planning.

Just download each item and print as many as you need. If you would like to order more stickers or posters, just call 0207 843 2525 or email chatterbox@ican.org.uk.

Our partner groups have also provided some additional downloads to help you make your Chatterbox Challenge a great success! Please see below:

This week saw the launch of Chatterbox Challengeand our fantastic partner groups have been sharing blogs and activities with us throughout the week! Our final blog is from La Jolie Ronde Languages for Children, a unique centre for French and Spanish language learning, who have kindly provided Chatterbox Challenge with some exclusive French and Spanish songs. Read their blog below ... Read more

Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) and our members are delighted to support I CANs Chatterbox Challenge 2016. Here at PACEY we support childcare professionals to deliver high standards of care and learning. I CANs Chatterbox Challenge is an event many of our members look forward to and is a great way to get the children in their ... Read more

Cherry Grove Nursery took part in Chatterbox Challenge 2015: Garden Adventures with Ben & Holly. Eleanor, Cherry Grove Nursery Teacher, shares why they got involved last year and why they will be taking part in Chatterbox Challenge again for 2016. Cherry Grove Nurserytook part in Chatterbox Challenge 2015 as wewanted to get involved in something that was a good cause ... Read more

The year is whizzing past, as usual, which means it’s nearly time for Chatterbox Challenge 2016! Once again Boogie Mites are delighted to play our part in boosting children’s communication through active music making, and we have put together some fun and easy-to-follow music resources that I hope you will enjoy using (and yes these do include free song mp3s ... Read more

Childminder Gillian supports Chatterbox Challenge 2016! Gillian is a registered childminder and runs a small childminding business in Durham. She took part in I CANs Chatterbox Challenge 2015 with just 3 children, all children were 2 years and under and between them they managed to raise 75. She was entered into and won second prize in the Silver Shooting Star ... Read more

Who are Ben & Holly?

If you've not met Ben & Holly before, come and say hello. Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom follows the adventures of Princess Holly and her best friend Ben Elf. Along with their friends, Ben and Holly have lots of magical fun and exciting adventures playing together in the Little Kingdom.

Ben & Holly Little Kingdom Prizes to be won!

Entertainment One and Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom have very kindly donated prizes for the Challenge. Everyone who sends in their money raised by 31 March 2016 will be entered into one or both of our prize draws.

Thanks to our fantastic sponsors for making the Chatterbox Challenge possible.

TTS

TTS are proud to be supporting the Chatterbox Challenge 2016 for the third year running. We share the same values as I CAN in that we want to make sure all children have the best opportunities in life and provide support for learning and development. For 30 years we have been working with specialists, advisors, teachers and practitioners to develop educational resources to support children in the UK and around the world.

Our number one priority is children, and in everything we do we consider their development, safety and educational opportunities. We take the time to talk to teachers and practitioners ensuring that our goals are aligned, resulting in exceptional resources to support children of all ages. We have donated some TTS vouchers for the Chatterbox Challenge, giving those that take part a chance to purchase some of our fantastic resources.

Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom

Entertainment One and Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom have very kindly donated prizes for the Chatterbox Challenge, allowed us to feature Ben & Holly on our Challenge website and materials and have designed this year’s pack.

Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom follows the adventures of Princess Holly and her best friend Ben Elf. Along with their friends, Ben & Holly have lots of magical fun and exciting adventures playing together in the Little Kingdom. Holly is a young fairy princess who is still learning how to fly and her magic doesn’t always go to plan. Her best friend, Ben Elf, doesn’t have wings and he doesn’t do magic. But elves are very good at making things - especially toys. They live in the Little Kingdom - a tiny land where flowers and grass rise above the tallest towers.

I CAN would like to say a huge thank you to their Chatterbox Challenge Partner Groups for their ongoing involvement and support.

Boogie Mites

Would you like to discover a range of exciting music resources specifically created to promote communication and learning across the Early Years Foundation Stage? Research over the last 20 years has highlighted the crucial role that active music-making plays in creating a sensory-rich environment that optimises children's development whatever their age or stage. By accessing Boogie Mites research-based music resources you can transform children's speech and language development by harnessing the power of music-making in your setting or home: no previous music training required!

To learn more about the science that demonstrates the importance of music in promoting communication skills, as well as to find some free resources that you can use right away to promote language skills, download our Guide to Active Music Making or Visit Boogie Mites for more information.

Debutots

At Debutots we believe that imaginations and words will take you everywhere and there’s no better way to travel than on the crest of a fun-filled story!

Our unique sessions take children from the age of 6 months to 7 years on unforgettable adventures through original stories: exploring words and sounds and how we can use our bodies and voices expressively.

Promoting skilful communication, fostering cognitive development and growing a child’s positive sense of themselves and others, our classes are also expertly mapped to the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 curricula.

La Jolie Ronde

La Jolie Ronde Languages for Children teaches tens of thousands of children throughout the UK and overseas to build their confidence and enthusiasm for both the French and Spanish language. Founded in 1983, La Jolie Ronde has become the market leader in early years and primary language learning.

Tots on Tour

"Helping ALL children to become confident communicators" established in 2002, is a training organisation working with families and professionals to "Grow Talk Together", enhancing ALL children's early communication and language skills. Our Growing Talk Licensed Family Programme is designed to Engage, Enable and Enhance Confident Communicators, sharing activities and ideas with families at Growing Talk Groups that they can enjoy together from birth - school and throughout their week. The programme is used extensively within Children’s Centres across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. In addition to Growing Talk groups, "Growing Talk" Licensed training is available nationally for early years providers and schools along with an extensive range of bespoke training and workshops, all supported by our Associate Membership and NEW Growing Talk Together Blog

Pacey

PACEY is the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years; a standard-setting organisation promoting best practice and supporting childcare professionals to deliver high standards of care and learning. Since 1977 PACEY have provided high quality support to members and have worked with government, local authorities and others to raise standards. Together with their members - childminders, nannies and nursery workers - PACEY are working to become the professional association for everyone in childcare and early years and ensure members are recognised for the vital role they play in helping children get the best start in life.

Twinkl

Twinkl is your first choice for easy to use, trusted and high quality teaching materials for educators and parents’ worldwide - professionally crafted materials with a personal touch.

This is where you’ll find answers to the questions we get asked the most. It’s the best place to start if there’s something you’re not sure about.
If there’s anything else you need to know, then just get in touch!

I CAN’s Chatterbox Challenge is an annual fundraising activity for nurseries, children’s groups and childminders. Children aged 0‐5 have fantastic fun and develop their communication skills by singing songs and rhymes to raise money for children who struggle with their speech and language. All the fun and educational activities are provided in the FREE fundraising pack, which you will receive when you register.

The theme for Chatterbox Challenge 2016, 'Ben & Holly’s Elf and Fairy Party’, is about getting young children to take part in fun party games while chattering about what they are doing, seeing and hearing. With listening and attention being the foundation skills for good communication and language development, young children's learning will benefit from this fun activity pack, which is all about having fun and being aware of others in their party and surroundings.

We encourage parents, carers and guardians to get involved by taking part in Chatterbox Challenge activities and singing songs at home. If you would like to get involved, find more information and activities here.

Children taking part in the Chatterbox Challenge can use the sponsorship forms to gather donations for their challenge. Parents can also raise sponsorship on their child’s behalf by setting up a fundraising page online through Virgin Money Giving and sending the link to family and friends. For more fundraising ideas and tips order your FREE fundraising pack.

Yes, you will receive a letter and a certificate acknowledging all of your fantastic fundraising efforts. Just make sure that when you
register, you state your nursery/school/group/organisation’s name so that we can include this on the certificate.

Please send us your funds raised in one of the following ways:

By Post
Post us a cheque payable to ‘I CAN Charity’. Use the Freepost envelope provided in your event pack or send it to:

Legal Information
Please remember that everyone takes part at their own risk and that I CAN is not liable for any loss, damage, illness or injury that might occur. You must obtain written permission from a parent/legal guardian of each child attending the Event. Attendees must be made aware that photographs and video footage may be taken and used for fundraising and to publicise the Event, Event Sponsors, or I CAN. It is not possible for I CAN to insure you to hold a Chatterbox Challenge event as I CAN is not responsible for the organisation of it. You should take all reasonable precautions to safeguard the children in your care.